Earthworm blog

European nightcrawlers vs red worms

When European Night Crawlers first hit the scene in the 90's folks were a little skeptical. For most everybody, red worms (a.k.a red wigglers) were the worm of choice for fishing as well as vermicomposting (composting with worms).

It was like pulling teeth to get the die-hard's to even try them. Our marketing ploy was to leave a few cups of worms at a bait shop, tell them to give to their best fisherman, and wait. The usual, reaction was "Can you get me some more?" or "I want some of those worms Jimbo was using last Sunday."

Word of mouth did the trick.

There are many good reasons for the eventual and inevitable stampede from red worms to European nightcrawlers:

European night crawlers stay alive longer under water than red worms.

European night crawlers stay active longer under water than red worms

European nightcrawlers are much more active than red worms, period.

European night crawlers tolerate brackish water. Red worms don't.

European night crawlers are tougher so they stay on the hook better.

Europen night crawlers, like red worms, don't have to be refrigerated.

European night crawlers will keep in the cups longer than red worms.

Maybe you already are a convert and know all this already. But if you're not, doesn't this just make you want to give them a try? I think you'll agree, these fishing worms are fantastic.

24 European Night Crawlers Per Cup

Buy European Night crawlers

We have cupped bait for sale on our store. These convenient cups are the best designed we've found. The air holes along the lid keep the worms alive much longer without drying out. Any left over worms can be kept until next weekend or longer. Order today for your next fishing trip.

Why aren't my worms reproducing?

If you're serious about worm farming, you'll want to pay attention to the new earthworm production of your worm beds. Check out this post or our "Worm Farming Manual" for tip's and how to's on making money worm farming.

WORMS AND COLD WEATHER

Q: Now that winter is coming, do I have to worry about my worms? Is there anything I need to do to prepare for colder weather?​A: Yes, and yes. Colder weather, especially if it comes on suddenly, can adversely affect your worms. Unless they are in a climate controlled environment (i.e. a basement, heated room, etc.) worms need to be protected from cold and freezing temperatures.

Vermicomposting and worm farming in winter

Worms freezing to death is not the only thing you have to worry about when cold weather comes. When temperatures fall into the low sixties and below, especially if it is sudden, worms have a big tendency to crawl. This "worm nightmare" is especially 'nightmarish" if you house your worms indoors.

However, worms crawling outdoors or indoor's is a major disaster. Worms exposed even for the shortest amount of time suffer damage and usually die. If they are outdoors, they simply disapear. Indoors, you'll find dead and dying worms everywhere. It's a real mess. The upside is you can gather up any living individuals and return them to bedding. The downside is they will probably crawl right back out. What can you do about it?

Cold weather worm growing tips

Burn a light at all times:If you're not doing so already, keep lights burning at all times over your worm beds. Light discourages worms from crawling. Although it doesn't always do the trick, this common-sense measure can often prevent worms from crawling for this as well as any other worm- crawling trigger.

Keep your worms in deep bedding:Deep bedding provides insulation from the cold for your worms. The bedding cools off slower and the worms have more room to crawl down.

Maintain temperature control if possible:Folks growing worms in colder climates should seriously consider housing worm beds in garages, basements or storage rooms that can provide insulation against cold weather.

Keep the bedding dryer:Dryer bedding in winter stays warmer. Wetter bedding in summer stays cooler. This moisture adjustment is only slightly on the dryer side or wetter side. Too dry kills just as surely as too wet.

Sick Worms

Whether you're vermicomposting (composting with worms) in a closed container or in large wind-rows, sometimes worms start behaving funny. Not "funny ha-ha" but "funny bad". Here are some common worm behaviors to look out for.

Worms behaving badly

Worm behavior: Worms are "balling up" meaning they are grouping together in tight wads.

What it means: The worms are unhappy.

What to do: Worms ball-up for different reasons, usually related to their bedding. Either the bedding is too wet, the bedding is too dry, the bedding is too acid, the bedding is too crowded, etc. Sometimes the easiest, quickest and most effective thing to do is change out the bedding.

Serious or not so serious: Worms balling up can be a sign the worms are sick or are getting ready to crawl. Do something a.s.a.p. (However, sometimes worms will ball-up after they've been shipped or if there's noise or vibration near-by. Usually, after a few days they will sort themselves out into happy individuals.)

Worm behavior: Worms are crawling aimlessly on the top of the bedding.

What it means: The worms are dying.

What to do: Say a prayer. The worms are very sick and there's probably not a whole lot you can do about it. Your worms probably gave you other clues before they reached this point (see above). Be aware of your worms and fix any problems as soon as you notice anything.

Serious or not so serious: It's serious to the individuals doing the crawling. Usually, it's only a few worms at first, but it's a major warning sign. Get to work now so you're entire worm population doesn't get sick. Check your bedding, moisture, feed, and water source.

Worm Behavior: Worms are crawling out of the box/bin/tray.

What it means: The worms are getting the heck out of Dodge. They don't like their bedding, it's conditions, and/or it's location. Another "worm crawl" trigger is a sudden temperature drop.

What to do: Find out why. Again, is the bedding too wet, too dry, too acid, etc. If you expect a cold snap, leave extra lights on over the bedding and try to supply some heat or bring them indoors if possible.

Serious or not so serious: If a lot of worms crawl, you'll loose a lot of them, not to mention finding dead and dying worms in various unexpected places. Worm crawls can be worm nightmares. But occasional worms trying to escape is no big deal so long as it's not an indication of things to come.

More Worm Care information

Serious about raising worms for fishing, vermicomposting or reselling? Check out my "Worm Farm Manual" for more worm problems and their solutions.

Feeding worms FERMENTED Fruit

Q: Can I add fruit used to make wine to my vermicomposting bin?A: Fermented fruit, and also spent brewery grains, are an excellent food source for worms.

What to feed worms in vermicomposter

Worms digest their food by following behind, so to speak, microbes. There must be a good supply of microbes in your worm bedding and food to facilitate the worms digestion. That's why it's always a good idea to leave any food scraps intended for your vermicomposter OUT OF THE FRIDGE to encourage microbe activity. Keep it covered to control smells. Covered - not airtight. You don't want anaerobic activity.More Vermicomposting Info Here.

Want to know how many worms it takes to inoculate your garden or lawn soil?

Number of earthworms to INOCULATION

For soil improvement requires 10-12 earthworms per square foot; or, 1 pound earthworms per 1000 square foot. So, measure your garden area's length and width; multiply one by the other to get your square footage; multiply this figure by 10-12 (just make it 11). FYI: our European Nightcrawlers are fully matured bait sized worms and there are 250-300 of these worms per pound.

Worms For Soil Improvement

European Nightcrawlers

Because they are burrowing earthworms, European night crawlers make beneficial residents for any garden plot. Calculate the amount of worms you need by using the above formula and add some of these earth "movers and shakers" to your garden soil or lawn today.

Making money selling worms

If your looking for a home-based business you can do that doesn't take a lot of money to start, you may want to consider worm farming. Check out the latest post of my Worm Farm Business blog: Marketing Your Earthworms.This series is on worm farming problems, how to avoid them, and what to do if they happen. If your serious, subscribe to this blog and read all the posts before beginning your worm farming business. It may just save you time and money.

Worm Farm Manual

Worm Farm Manual

More Information: Find out what's in the manual. As the title promises, it's a step-by-step guide to raising earthworms. Save time and money by having the information you need.Download e-Book: Get the manual immediately and discover how to worm farm - successfully.Hard Copy: If you prefer a hardcopy, it will be mailed to you via Priority Mail.

Composting with earthworms refresher

Vermicomposting is a great way to make your own fertilizer for your garden and plants. It's also good for the environment because organic material is returned to the soil rather than buried in a landfill.

It's not rocket science, but there are a few important rules to follow if you're going to , number 1, not kill your worms and, number 2, make some great compost.

Vermicomposting Bins

A variety of containers make satisfactory worm bins (make sure they are not soft plastic. They will leak out chemicals that retard worm growth and reproduction.)Containers range from commercially available vermicomposting units to plastic totes you adapt yourself, or home-made wooden bins. Regardless of your choice, the container you use MUST provide aeration.

Worm Bedding

The bedding should be a "sea" for the worms, allowing them to burrow freely. The bedding should allow oxygen flow, be lightweight, retain moisture, be non-toxic, and be easily digested.The following types of bedding are recommended:

Loam/top soil

Organic peat moss

Leaf mold from composting piles

Shredded cardboard

Shredded newspaper or computer paper

A good combination bedding is shredded newspaper or cardboard, loam and leaf mold.

Adequate Moisture

Like oxygen, moisture in the red worm’s environment is very important. The worm’s surface membrane uses moisture to absorb the oxygen required for their metabolism. Too much moisture creates anaerobic conditions and too little moisture causes the worms to die from dehydration. The ideal moisture content of the bedding is 50-60%.

New worm site - new blog

Well, the newly designed Earthworm Works website is up and running - all "responsive" and everything. Should make you, Dear Reader, happier and, of course, dear Search Engine Spider. Since more and more folks are using mobile devices these days, we had to crawl into the 21st century.

Our other blog "Worm Farm Business" is still there. You can refer to it for older posts about worm farming. This on-site blog will start taking it's place, since it's more convenient for me - Dear Author.

Feel free to post any comments, questions, or problems you may have concerning all things worm growing. Check back from time to time for updates to this new blog. You just may find some useful information that helps you keep your worms fat and sassy.